Sheet material dispenser



Jan. 26, 1965 M. ROZLOG ETAL SHEET MATERIAL DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, 1962 INVENTORS MATT ROZLOG AND JAMES L. WILLIAMS A TTORNEYS 1965 M. ROZLOG ETAL SHEET MATERIAL DISPENSER Filed July 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIII FIG.4

INVENTORS MATT ROZLOG AND JAMES L .WILLIAMS A TORNE Y5 3,167,368 SHEET .MATERIAL EISIENSER Matt Rozlog, 406 Cleveland Ave. SE., Brewster, Ohio, and James L. Williams, 11782 Bonnie Brae Drive SW., Massillon, Ohio Filed .luly 24, 1962, Ser. No. 212,091 2 Claims. (Cl. era-ea The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in material dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a motor driven dispenser for sheet material in roll form such as toilet tissue, paper towels, or the like.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial Number 195,465, filed May 17, 1962 entitled Sheet Material Dispenser.

7 United States Patent U In the past, mechanical dispensers, mostly hand operated, have been suggested for unr-olling and dispensing of sheet or web material such as paper towels, waxed paper, tape, tickets, and the like. These devices were generally cumbersome and expensive to build and did not generally present a neat unobstrusive appearance when installed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet material dispenser that is operated by an electric motor actuated by an accessible hand switch or button.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an electric tissue dispenser which may be housed entirely within a room wall and which presents a trim neat appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toilet tissue dispenser driven by an electric motor which may be easily swung out from a wall for refilling the paper supply or maintenance of the motor or drive mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a motor-driven feed belt assembly for a sheet material dispenser which resiliently engages material being fed and which will not tear or crinkle even delicate material such as toilet tissue.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a motor-driven feed belt assembly for a dispenser for perforated sheet material which will permit manual pulling of the material end without tearing intermediate two perforation lines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a motordriven feed belt assembly for a sheet material dispenser which will insure that manual pulling of the free end of the material will cause tearing thereof within the housing of said dispenser.

It is another object of the invention to provide a chute structure for a motor-driven sheet material dispenser which serves to guide the material from its roll to the discharge opening of the dispenser without folding or fouling in the machine.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a motoroperated sheet material dispenser bearing the above objects in mind which is of relatively simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufcture, and is at all times eflicient, reliable, and safe in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the new dispenser of the present invention installed in a tiled bathroom wall;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the dispenser ICC taken along the line 22- of FIGURE 1 and showing the folding of the front cover plate in dotted lines;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2 with the roll of paper removed; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-section along the lines 33 of FIGURE 3.

Reference is now made more specifically to the drawings wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein the dispensing device con stituting the subject matter of this invention is designated generally at it) and is shown flush mounted in the usual tiled bathroom wall 11.

The dispenser body is preferably fabricated in the form of a sheet metal box or housing 12 being open at the front and having a cut-away portion at the bottom adjacent the open side. Of course, plastic or wood or other suitable material could be used for thehousing if so desired. A mounting flange 13 is welded or otherwise secured around the four sides of the box to permit neat mounting in a wall recess regardless of the accuracy of the wall cut. A front sheet metal cover 14 is hingedly attached to the box in a manner more specifically described in the aforementioned copending application, Serial Number 195,465. By the use of this construction, the entire front cover can be pivoted outwardly and downwardly to the dotted line position of FIGURE 2 to expose all of the operating components for repair and to permit easy reloading of the machine with a new sheet material supply.

In order to permit ease of maintenance and of refilling, all of the mechanical elements of the feed mechanism, including the motor, are attached to the inside of the front cover 14 so as to be accessible upon opening of the cover. The rolled tissue paper or the like, shown at 15, is also received within the front cover section.

Fixed to the inside of the cover 14 as by flanges 16 are two spaced parallel side plates 17 and 18 and a bottom plate 19 which spans and closes off the bottom between the two plates. three elements, all of the mechanical components are supported. Formed in each of the side plates 17 and 18 are openings for reception and journalling of the ends of belt roll shafts 2t), 21, and 22. A slightly larger hole 23 is also provided in each of plates 17 and 18 for the loose reception of the end of belt roll shaft 24. Further holes are provided in the side plates for reception of motor mounting screws 25 and tension springs, later to be described.

In order to maintain the rigidity and spacing of the side plates 17 and 18, spacer members 28 and 29 are provided adjacent the upper side of the plates and spanning them. Spacer member 28 is preferably of sheet metal and also serves the secondary purpose of acting as a front support plate for the rolled material 15 and prevents it from slipping down into the mechanical moving elements when the roll diameter decreases in size. If desired, yet a further rigidifying sheet metal cross member 30 may be provided at the back of the side plates adjacent the top.

Guide chute 31 receives the sheet material and guides it downwardly to the discharge opening 32 formed in the overhang of the front cover 14. The chute has a general box-like construction of sheet metal or plastic and includes the top plate 33 and the :bottom plate 34. If desired, separate side plates may also be used, but the top and bottom plates may be attached directly to the side plates 17 and 18 utilizing them as side members to Within the enclosure defined by these sheet material to be dispensed.

enclose the chute. lf separate side plates are used, they may flare outwardly adjacent the discharge end. As can be seen from FIGURE 4,1the top plate 33 is of greater length than the bottom plate. The entire chute is mounted angularly as shown in FIG. 4 and extends bet-ween the side plates 17 and 18 and is attached thereto as by welding or thelike. The width of the chute between the two side plates is slightly greater than the width of the Ithas been found that toilet tissue is-"generally standardized in width at 4 /2' inches. If the device is to be adapted to dispense such tissue, a preferable" width for the chute interior would be 4% inches. Each of the top' and bottom plates of the chute is provided with roll receiving recesses forthe belt rolls generally rectangular in sh ape as shown-at" 35.

The rearward recesses for the top and botto'mbelt'rolls are at the very edges of the top and bottom chute plates and hence are, open atthe rear. This facilitatesin'itial v feeding of the material. v I

Wooden belt rolls 36, :37, 38, and 39 are fitted securely on the belt roll shafts 20, 21, 22,an d 23, which shafts are journalled infand extend through opposite holes as abovedescribed in the side plates 17 21116418. The shafts are so positioned;that-the-roll peripheries willextend through the roll receiving recesses 35 in the chute 31. Whilethe rolls are preferably made of -wood,1'hard rubber, plastic and cork are equally effective. The shafts 7 are held from axial displacement by positioning washers or Circlips 40 which may-be fitted in annular recesses formed in the shafts.

The belt rolls 36 and 39 are of a gre'aterlength; than the rolls 37 and 38,,as can'be seen in FIG. 3 and are I generally in driving contact with one another. This greator length gives a greater contact area for more efficient drive. An annular belt receiving cutfout is formedin each of the rolls 36 and 39 for reception of feed belts 41 and4l r'espectivelyj Due to thiscut-outconstruction, the

belts will be recessed so that'their top surfaces are flush with the rolls '36 and 3-9 and they will not interfere with r -the friction drive between the rolls.

' 41 pass into chute'3t1 and are in mating face-to-face 'en- 'gagement. It is within this areathat thesh'eet material is fed.

curedto the smaft by a-set screw; passing through its jhub44 or by press fitting.

ln' orderto provide a resilient downward forceof-the upper belt roll 39 against the roll- 36 so thatthey cooperate to engage and feed the paper or tissue, means are provided 'to apply a' spring force against the belt roll'shaft 24. T-his' means comprises a pairof pivotedpressure bars 45, v46 which are pivoted adjacent one end about roll shaft 22. Thesebars are mounted on theoutside of side plates17 and 1-8 and have their other ends connected to the outer ends of roll shaft 24. Since this shaft is :free to move slightly in large hole 23, the pressure bars can be moved to cause similar movement of shaft 24. 7 hole 47 adjacent the connection with shaft 24.- A ten sion' spring 48, 49 foreach-pressure'bar' has 'one'end engaged in a hole 50 formed in each of the side; plates "17 and 18 and the other end engaged in the hole 47.

With this structure the belt roll 39'will exert resilient pressure against the ro1l-36. As can be seen in FIGURE 4, the lower rolls 37 and 38 are not in contact with each other. Because of this construction, when the desired amount of material such as perforated toilet tissue has Secured on the endof shaft t outward of side plate 18 is 'asmall groovedspulley 43. The pulley may, be se- Each pressure bar is provided with a small been dispensed and is pulled manually by the user, the paper will separate at the perforation closest to the line of contact between rolls 36 and 39 which are held resili- 5 outlet 7-32 is greater than the distance between perforajtion lines in the material being dispensed, ,there will be "',no loose dangling end external of the dispenser. This presents a more tidy and'neat arrangement, 7

Power todrive the dispenser is provided by the use of 10 an electric motor '51 which is secured to either the side a plate 17 asshown or the bottom plate 19.

' This motor may be any commercially availablemodel but is preferably a two speed reversible gear ratio moextending outwardly of side plate 17 and is in driving belt 53.v

interposed thereina cut-otf'safety switch 54 and a push 2 button start and stopswitch 55. The safety switch is operable upon opening of the front cover as more fully describ'edin our copending' application. The push but- :ton SS is of theconventionalspringtype and is normally Y off until depressed. If desired, areverse'switch 56 may 5; be provided on theinsideof the box-for actuation if for jany .reasonthe material should jam up in thechute and it is desired to reverse the drive or Wind in.

Operation of the dispenser can be readily envisioned Material, such-as toilet tissue in roll form, or even 3 squashed .-into anoval is dropped into position between into theupper chute opening adjacent' the'two; rolls 36 and [39 and the drive chain turned by hand so that paper. .feed is commenced into the chute." The. cover is "then dispensed such aspaper towels, toilettissue, wrapping .tis-' .sue; napkins, etc.- f, t

While we haveshown' and described apreferred embodirnent of the invention, iti'is to-be understood that the-drawings and'detailed disclosure are to be construed in an illustrative rather than a limiting' sense since vari i ous modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be 'made by those skilled in the art within the scope and; Y spirit of the invention as definedintheappended'claims. What we claim as new and desire to protect by Lct- 'ters Patentof the United Statesis:

1. A dispenser for; sheet material comprising a h ousing having an open side, a cover'normally closing said open side of said housing, means mounted on said cover tosupport a rollof sheet material, a discharge opening guide said material fromsaid rollto said discharge opening, a pair of upperparallel belt rolls rotatably-mounted 60 on said cover above-said chute and extending partially into said chute, a pair of lower parallel belt rollsrotata bly. mounted on said cover belowsaid chute and extendingpartially into saidchute, 'twoendlessfe'ed belts, each belt passing. through said chute and over one of said belt -.-roll pairs, pressure bar means pivoted adjacent one end with said upper belt roll nearest s aid roll of sheet mate- Mal, and resilient means urging said free end of the pressure bar 'a'nd said upper roll toward one of said lower 1 wherein, said motor means comprises an electric mo 7 ently together. Since the distance from these rolls to the I tor. A large drive pulley 52 is secured on therotor shaft engagement withpnlley 43 by meansof a rubber drive i The motor is connected to the 120. voltline and has the side plates so that itcrests onthe spacer-member 28 r i a and the belt roll 39. The free endof the paper is placed in said cover, a guide chute mounted on said cover to to said cover and having'the free end thereof in contact References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wheeler 1 June 16, 1891 Ham July 12, 1904 10 Fonda 1 Nov. 14, 1905 6 Matthews et al Apr. 23, 1912 Straight Sept. 2, 1913 West Mar. 24, 1942 Wooster Nov. 23, 1943 Marchand Nov. 27, 1951 Dobkin Mar. 20, 1956 Hempel Oct. 23, 1956 Clark NOV. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Dec. 12, 1904 

1. A DISPERNSER FOR SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN SIDE, A COVER NORMALLY CLOSING SAID OPEN SIDE OF SAID HOUSING, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID COVER TO SUPPORT A ROLL OF SHEET MATERIAL, A DISCHARGE OPENING IN SAID COVER, A GUIDE CHUTE MOUNTED ON SAID COVER TO GUIDE SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID ROLL TO SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, A PAIR OF UPPER PARALLEL BELT ROLLS ROTATABLE MOUNTED ON SAID COVER ABOVE SAID CHUTE AND EXTENDING PARTIALLY INTO SAID CHUTE, A PAIR OF LOWER PARALLEL BELT ROLLS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID COVER BELOW SAID CHUTE AND EXTENDING PARTIALLY INTO SAID CHUTE, TWO ENDLESS FEED BELTS, EACH BELT PASSING THROUGH SAID CHUTE AND OVER ONE OF SAID BELT ROLL PAIRS, PRESSURE BAR MEANS PIVOTED ADJACENT ONE END TO SAID COVER AND HAVING THE FREE END THEREOF IN CONTACT 